The Remington Model 8 and FN 1900 rifles were the brainchild of John Moses Browning. Originally patented in 1900, the design was the first successful high-powered semi-auto rifle made, and it is no surprise the great J.M.B. was the designer. While Remington built the U.S. market version, Browning contracted with FN to build the European market model 1900s as he already had a good relationship with the firm who already produced many of his designs.
The rifle is long-recoil operated and feeds from a fixed magazine. The Remington Model 8 was chambered in four different Remington rimless cartridges, they were the .25, .30, .32, and .35 Remington while the FN produced variant was only made in 9mm FN which for all intents and purposes is .35 Remington.
The 1900 models were offered starting in 1911 by FN retailers and were available as late as 1931-1932. Some believe that the rifles were mostly all built before the outbreak of WWI but there may have been a small parts clean-up run in the years following.
FN only produced 4,913 of these rifles and they were never officially imported into the United States, there was really no reason to do so when Remingotn was selling the model 8. Considering the price of the 1900 was also $17 dollars more than a Grade III Model 8, it was a wise business decision to not spend the time or money importing them when Americans could get, effectively, the same gun with a different roll mark.
Compared to its sibling made by Remington, the FN model has a few differences, namely the markings, the more elegant looking bolt knob, the lower tang locking screw…and most have a rib. This is an already rare rifle made even rarer by not having a rib and is an early variant with the proofs on the left side.